


Rivals to Lovers

by VulgarMaiden



Series: Secrets & Relationships [3]
Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Canon Rewrite, First Kiss, Love Confessions, M/M, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:21:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26530573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VulgarMaiden/pseuds/VulgarMaiden
Summary: Conan and Kaito slowly work up the courage to be completely open and trusting with each other.
Relationships: Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan/Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid
Series: Secrets & Relationships [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1875922
Comments: 22
Kudos: 246





	1. Water Park

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter isn’t an episode rewrite, but the others will be.
> 
> There are references to Ova 10 (Kid in Trap Island) and the Ryouma’s treasures case in this chapter.
> 
> (I feel bad about mentioning Professor Agasa’s name so much and then never giving him any speaking lines (this chapter included)).

-Conan-  
"Haibara…" Conan spoke up, breaking the silence that had fallen over them as they both worked on their elementary school homework at the bar counter in Professor Agasa's home. "I've decided… I'm going to tell him that Edogawa Conan and Kudou Shin'ichi are the same person."

The girl sighed softly. "I was afraid you might say that…"

"And…?" Conan promoted, "Are you okay with it?"

"You said there's a possibility he already knows, right? That he might be Kaitou Kid?" She paused to sigh a second time. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but… you'd better hope he _is_ Kaitou Kid."

Conan blinked as the words sank in, the sentiment causing a sharp, uncomfortable pang in his chest. "Why… why do say that?" He asked.

"Kaitou Kid has proven to be trustworthy. Even I have to admit that- despite being a criminal- he can also be a strong ally, potentially even stronger if he's genuinely invested in protecting you."

Before that moment Conan had only ever considered his side of the possibility that he was in love with Kaitou Kid. It hadn't occurred to him that, if Kuroba really was Kid, it could potentially mean having Kaitou Kid be in love with _him_.

His imagination provided him with an image of the white-clad thief diving forward to save him from some unseen, imminent danger. Gloved hands reached out to him, a mixture of determination, fear, and love glinting in familiar eyes.

The detective's heart squirmed in his chest, full to the point of bursting with fluttery, giddy feelings. He hid his burning face behind his hands in shame.

"Oh? Was the thought of your prince in white armor rushing to your rescue too much for your maiden heart?" Haibara teased in her monotone voice.

"Shut up!!" Conan violently shook his head, blindly flinging his leg out to kick her and hitting the leg of her chair instead. His friend had a difficult time stifling her laughter.

"On the other hand," she said, after calming down, "if Kuroba-kun is just a normal person, there's a chance he might be scared off by your situation, leaving you both heartbroken and with one more person knowing your identity."

Conan slowly slid his hands off his face. Obviously he didn't want to believe Kuroba would run away from him like that… but it was a possibility…

-  
He sighed heavily, completely zoning out of the animated conversation the Detective Boys were having on the couch opposite Haibara and himself in the Professor living room. He didn't know what to think anymore. Half of him still desperately hoped Kuroba was innocent, and the other half was just as hopeful that he wasn't.

His most recent encounter with the thief- the Ryouma's treasures case- hadn't really given him any particularly helpful leads. He had wanted to get a good look at Kid's face, but, what with not wanting to get wet, and Kid staying in his disguise during their brief conversation in the restroom, he hadn't gotten the chance.

However, Kid _had_ seemed unusually open with him, going so far as to tell him Phantom Lady was his mother. Conan thought back to that family picture in Kuroba's living room. He could only vaguely remember the woman having short, dark-mauve colored hair. Was she Phantom Lady?? Without proof all this speculation was basically meaningless…

The _important_ thing was that he and Kuroba had been texting every single day since they met as themselves, and the possibility of actually dating him, which used to seem like an unobtainable dream, was becoming more and more likely all the time!

"Conan? Conan!" Genta's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? What?" The detective lifted his head and looked around at them.

"Do you want to go to the new water park that's opening this weekend?" Mitsuhiko repeated the unheard question.

"The Professor is offering to take us!" Ayumi exclaimed.

"Oh, actually, I'm already going. Ran-neechan won four tickets to it at the grocery store raffle," Conan replied.

"Four? Who else is she taking?" Haibara asked.

"Probably Occhan and Sonoko-neechan," he shrugged.

-That Weekend-  
-Ran-  
"Aoko was surprised Ran-chan wanted to invite _us_ instead of her school friends," Aoko-chan said with a bright smile as the four of them walked the short distance from the bus stop to the water park.

"You're my friend too, you know," Ran said, giving the other girl a gentle, teasing nudge with her elbow, "plus, I thought it'd be good for Conan-kun to have someone to hangout with." She glanced back over her shoulder at the boys who were lagging a bit behind, talking about some new movie that was coming out.

"Not to mention," she continued with an exhausted sigh, "Sonoko has a bad habit of taking 'weird' pictures of me when I'm in bathing suits and sending them to Shin'ichi…"

Aoko-chan blinked in surprise. "You still haven't told her about Kudou-kun?" Ran shook her head.

"He doesn't want a lot of people knowing yet, and it's convenient for me anyway. As soon as Sonoko does find out, I'll have to deal with her trying to set me up with every single guy in school, so it's okay if she doesn't know for now."

They arrived at the water park and, immediately inside, headed for the changing rooms.

-Conan-  
The boys stepped out of the changing room and strolled into the middle of the wide open plaza area, surrounded by a collection of vendors and paths leading off to the various pools and rides. They looked around, simultaneously taking in the scene and looking for the girls.

"Kuroba-kun's is blue with white flowers too!" Ran's voice exclaimed. Conan turned to see them just coming out of the other changing room. Ran was wearing her sporty, dark blue tankini with a large pattern of white flowers. Aoko-san had on a frilly, sky blue bikini with speckles of tiny daisies. And Kuroba's board shorts, just as Ran had said, were royal blue with the white silhouettes of hibiscus flowers. Everyone also had some kind of plain t-shirt or cover-up for when they weren't swimming. Conan felt a little out of place in his plain, green shorts, but they didn't dwell on it further.

"So! Where are we going first?" Ran asked.

"I was thinking about that ride over there," Kuroba said, turning to point behind them at a rollercoaster that loomed high above the others. "What do you think, Conan-kun?"

"Yeah!" The detective agreed.

"That's pretty intense to start off with, isn't it?" Aoko-san said. Ran nodded.

"Well, we can always split up. How about we meet at the wave pool at noon? Then have lunch and go from there," she suggested. Everyone agreed, and the group split up.

An hour later they'd been on three rides, and still had lots of time for more before they had to meet up with the girls. The lines for the rides were long, but that gave them plenty of time to just chat and joke around, which Conan definitely wasn't going to complain about.

-Kaito-  
They arrived at their fourth ride of the day, already soaking wet, and found themselves behind a small cluster of girls, whom they simply ignored at first, since they were too busy talking to each other. The line crept forward, and their conversation drifted from one topic to the next, and eventually, Kaito made a joke that made a couple of the girls chuckle.

"That was a good one," the girl closest to them said, turning around.

"Thanks!" Kaito smiled, always happy to entertain people.

"Are you two brothers?" A different girl asked looking back and forth between the two boys.

"Nope, just friends," the magician replied, giving the detective's hair a teasing ruffle. Conan-kun swatted his hand away and smoothed his hair back down. The girls giggled.

"You definitely seem to get along well," the first girl said with a friendly smile.

"It's so great when guys are good with kids!" A third squealed. She leaned forward eagerly. "You wouldn't happen to be single, would you?"

"No- Er, I mean… I'm talking to someone," Kaito said, running his fingers through his damp hair and glancing to the side as a warm blush tinted his cheeks.

"That's too bad," the girl sighed.

He'd _known_ he was fond of the detective, and that his fondness had been growing steadily ever since they started texting daily, but that "no" had been out of his mouth before he'd even fully registered the question. The rest of the unspoken sentence echoed in his head. _No, I'm not single_. In other words, that position has already been reserved for someone special.

_Damn it… I said that right in front of him, too. There's no way he didn't catch it._

-Conan-  
_"I'm talking to someone…"_ Kuroba's words echoed in Conan's head. _Surely… he means me, right?_ He thought, staring at the ground in shock. The sound of his heart thumping in his chest drowned out the rest of the magician's light-hearted conversation with the group of girls.

 _We've been talking every day, so… he must mean me, right?? Does he… really see me in a romantic way?_ The idea was thrilling. Joy and excitement swelled in his chest to the point it almost hurt. _Damn it, I love him so much!_

-  
Approximately ten minutes till twelve, Conan sat beside Kuroba on a bench by a large, decorative plant near the wave pool, letting the sun dry them off before they'd go meet up with the girls for lunch.

They were quiet as they relaxed, simply enjoying the break from standing, when suddenly the peaceful atmosphere that had settled over them was broken by a group of familiar voices.

"There he is!!" Genta shouted.

"Conan-kun!!" Ayumi called out to him.

"And Shin'ichi-san too!" Mitsuhiko exclaimed as the three ran over, Haibara and the Professor trailing behind.

"Um, no, actually, he's not Shin'ichi-niichan," Conan said, gesturing to Kuroba with a nod. "Although, they do look alike."

"Huh? -- He's really not? -- But he looks exactly the same as the last time we saw him…" The Detective Boys spoke over each other, all looking up at Kuroba curiously.

"Sorry to disappoint," the magician said, giving the children his most friendly smile, "I'm Kuroba Kaito, nice to meet you all."

The kids stared for a moment as it sank in, and the next second they were eagerly introducing themselves.

"So this is the magician we've all heard so many good things about," Haibara said, looking Kuroba over. "He does indeed look a lot like Kudou-san…" She gave Conan a very pointed look. He shifted a little on his seat, avoiding her gaze.

"You're a magician?? -- Show us a trick!! -- Yeah!!" The kids crowded around Kuroba excitedly.

"Uh- I'd love to," he said, holding his hands up in an effort to placate them, "but unfortunately-."

"You can't really bring your tricks to place they'll get soaking wet, right?" Conan finished for him.

"Exactly…"

"Awww…" Genta and Ayumi wilted.

"I guess that makes sense…" Mitsuhiko hummed, though still a little disappointed.

Ran and Aoko-san arrived soon after that, and it was decided that they would all go each lunch together as a group.

"Aoko knows exactly what she's gonna have," the girl said, humming in anticipation as they walked in the direction of the food court, "A _huge_ steamed fish!"

From above him, Conan heard a strangled sound of disgust. He looked up to see Kuroba shudder. The magician's face had gone pale and he was rather tense.

The others didn't seem to notice. Genta in particular had been inspired by Aoko-san's idea and was going off on an entire seafood wishlist, which didn't appear to be making Kuroba feel any better.

"Kaito-niichan…" Conan spoke up gently. "Do you not like fish?" The magician shook his head.

"I just can't deal with them at all. They're absolutely revolting!" He said, another shudder rolling through him.

"Huh? Kaito-san doesn't like fish either?" Mitsuhiko asked.

"Exactly like Shin'ichi-niichan!" Ayumi exclaimed with a little giggle.

Conan's pity for his crush dissipated instantly, and was replaced with utter confusion. "What??" He asked.

"Shin'ichi doesn't dislike fish," Ran said, looking back at them from where she and Aoko-san were leading the way ahead of them.

"He _does_!" Genta insisted. "He told us!"

"Yeah, that time when we were trying to catch Kaitou Kid together!" Mitsuhiko added. Ayumi nodded enthusiastically.

 _Kaitou Kid doesn't like fish… and… Kuroba also…_ Conan stared down at the brick walkway, a mix of emotions swirling in the pit of his stomach. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Haibara give him an understanding glance. _It's still not technically proof_ , The side of him that clung to the possibility of innocence argued. _Maybe not_ , The rational side agreed, _but… this is starting to be a lot of coincidences…_

He shook his head to clear the distracting thoughts away. _I've already thought this through_ , He reminded himself. _If Kuroba really is Kaitou Kid, that doesn't change my feelings at all._

-Kaito-  
 _So this is it, then_ , The magician thought, glancing off to the side in a feeble attempt to avoid the detective on the other side of him. _He definitely made the connection… He'll be more suspicious than ever now…_

Anxiety coiled in the pit of his stomach. The detective had _said_ , "Even you are Kaitou Kid, I think you're pretty cool," but it was hard to tell just how much Kaito could trust those words. Tantei-kun could change his mind, he might not have been serious to begin with, he might decide laws were more important.

For the second time that day, Kaito was surprised by his feelings. The thought of being betrayed or turned down by the detective struck fear and sadness alike into his heart. He wasn't ready for whatever this thing was between them to end.

The sudden feeling of small hand grabbing his startled him out of his thoughts. He glanced down.

"We can sit at a different table if you want," Conan-kun said, a small, reassuring smile on his lips, echoed in the gentle way he squeezed Kaito's hand.

Something warm bloomed in Kaito's chest when he saw the soft look in those blue eyes, framed by overlarge spectacles. His fingers curled around the smaller ones and gave a grateful squeeze.

"Yeah, okay," he smiled.


	2. Morals over Laws

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) This chapter is a rewrite of episodes 675 & 676 (Won’t Forgive even one Millimeter). Since the actual plot of the episode isn’t important to this fic I kinda glossed over it, so I’m sorry if it’s confusing.
> 
> 2) The beginning is pretty much just explaining how Kaito ended up with them in the first place.
> 
> 3) There’s not much in the way of “cute, couple-y stuff” in this chapter. That will have to wait until the next one. Sorry.
> 
> 4) This chapter is actually completely in Kaito’s POV!
> 
> 5) It’s definitely not the best chapter I’ve ever written

-Kaito-  
Kaito stepped out of the warmly lit living room of his best friend's home, into the cool, nighttime air. He'd stayed long after dinner, chatting and laughing, lounging on the couch while some sitcom played in the background. A fun, cozy, normal night. The kind that almost made him forget about the extremely not-normal parts of his life. Comfortable feelings like that never lasted long.

As he walked the short distance to his house, he took his phone from his pocket to check the time, and found two notifications from a name that he'd started to associate very strongly with spikes of dopamine and fluttery sensations in his chest.

He opened it and read the first message: "Sorry, I couldn't text, I was in the middle of an investigation." Not surprising, he'd assumed as much. The second one however: "Conan got kidnapped. Obviously he's fine now, but it was a pretty close one."

Kaito's body took him inside his house completely on autopilot, while his brain became immediately consumed in worry and overthinking. His breath caught in his chest, his hand gripped his phone tighter than he at first realized.

 _He's fine. He's fine._ He reminded himself, reading the simple pair of messages several times over. Much to his frustration, there wasn't any additional, hidden information he could glean from them, just that it had been "a close one". What exactly that meant, he had no clue.

His thumb hovered over the keyboard as he nudged his bedroom door open and stepped inside, only half aware that he'd walked through his dimly lit house at all.

He flicked the light on, plopped down into his bed, and decided to reply with: "That sounds scary, I hope he's alright."

-  
The day after, Kaito had gone to see for himself whether the detective was okay. Conan-kun's younger friends had had the exact same idea, which resulted in a serendipitous crossing of paths and an impromptu magic show right outside the police station where Conan-kun had been giving his statement about the previous nights events.

The kids were thrilled. They forced the title of 'Honorary Detective Boy' upon the magician and began insisting he go with them on their next camping trip… the very next day.

He tried to decline, saying he didn't want to intrude, and he wasn't sure he'd really fit in. (To which the mature girl made a thinly veiled remark about how she thought he "fit in quite well with the 'kids'").

"I completely understand if you don't want to go," Conan-kun said, glancing to the side, "but… it'd definitely be more fun with you there." The children echoed their agreement.

"It'd be nice to have another person to help watch the kids," The Professor mused, "that is, if you're not already busy tomorrow."

"Well… I'm not busy…"

"Then it's decided!" The kids exclaimed.

-  
The camping trip itself was (thankfully) uneventful. No murders, no kidnapping, no theft. In fact, aside from the usual camp activities, the only interesting thing that happened was that they shared their rice with the couple in the campsite next to them (who had forgotten to bring their own).

Kaito and Conan-kun never really got a moment alone together, and the interactions they did have- as genuine as they _tried_ to be- were perpetually shrouded by their respective acts of normalcy. It was like they were standing on either side of a sheer curtain. They knew (or, in the detective's case, suspected) what was on the other side, but they had a silent agreement to just ignore the curtain completely. So, aside from many wistful glances, longing gazes, and coy smiles, nothing much happened on the camping trip at all.

-  
The couple they'd shared their rice with invited them over for a barbecue lunch at their house as thanks, and Kaito found himself going along to that as well.

They arrived at the couple's home, and were greeted by an explosion of confetti in their faces and a shout of "Happy Halloween!" by a black-cloaked and pumpkin-headed figure. The surprise was received with mild confusion and startled blinking from kids and adults alike.

It was not Halloween. Mitsuhiko-kun brought that fact up. Conan-kun added that usually it's the children who dress up, not the other way around.

"See? I told you not to do it…" The husband said, appearing in the hallway behind his wife. The woman removed the plastic pumpkin from her head, her sandy-blonde hair pulled back in a braided bun.

"I thought the children would like it!" She whined defensively.

"You always go overboard with everything…" the husband sighed. He mentioned an example of how she'd dressed up as a reindeer for a Christmas party the previous year, which successfully started a full blown argument between the two.

When they were finally sat down in the backyard, with food grilling in front of them, things didn't get much better. While the man was inside, the woman made a remark about how her husband was cheating on her, and when he came out to ask about his missing cellphone, another argument broke out and escalated into full-blown shouting.

Kaito shifted in his seat and became suddenly very intrigued by the food in front of him. It was Professor Agasa who finally broke the awkward ambiance with a simple, "U-umm…"

The couple looked over and were met with the wide eyes of several children.

"Ah, sorry," the husband said, sheepishly running the back of his neck, "We're always like this."

"Don't mind us," the wife assured them through an embarrassed smile, "I've had a very short temper recently…"

The man asked his wife to help him look for his phone, and the two disappeared inside the house.

"Are those two going to be okay?" Mitsuhiko wondered softly aloud. Everyone was still staring at the sliding glass doors that served as the only entrance to the yard.

"Well… they say fights are good for a relationship…" The Professor mused.

Kaito couldn't say he agreed. It definitely wasn't the kind of relationship _he_ wanted, not that he was about to mention that at such a time. No. This was exactly the kind of situation that called for a lifting of spirits, and that was his expertise.

"How about a riddle to get our minds off it? Of course, _this_ one isn't allowed to participate," he said, ruffling the hair of the detective sitting next to him.

By the time they finished their meal, the couple still hadn't returned. They were continuing to laugh amongst themselves, when they heard a buzzing from underneath one of the benches.

"A cellphone…?" Mitsuhiko-kun murmured, kneeling in the grass to look.

"Isn't that the one they were looking for?" Conan-kun said, stooping beside him.

"I'll give it to them!" Ayumi-chan offered. She took the phone and ran over to the door.

No one thought to go with her. They all returned their attention to the easy, casual conversation, but the girl returned mere seconds later, face white and phone still in hand.

"Those two are fighting again!" She cried.

"Again?" Conan-kun muttered. "Just let them be."

"But- she has a knife! She said she'd kill him!"

Shock and horror rippled through their small group. The next second everyone was sprinting across the lawn. Through the glass doors, the scene that met them was a like something straight out of a movie. One body sprawled out on the carpet with a bloody knife embedded in the chest, and the other, the man, collapsed a short distance away, staring, horrified.

Kaito had seen murder before, but never like this. At heists he was prepared for the worst, so even something as shocking as a sudden death wasn't quite as jarring in that context as it was then, in broad daylight, in the middle of an otherwise perfectly average day.

Conan-kun wasted no time in rushing to the woman's side to check her pulse. Still alive, but fading fast.

The next several minutes were a hazy blur. An ambulance was called. Everyone rushed about following the detective's instructions. Everyone except the husband, who was immobilized by shock.

It was quiet in The Professor's car as they trailed behind the ambulance to the hospital. Conan-kun was the first to break the silence.

"Have you ever… experienced something like that before?" He asked, looking up at Kaito. The magician, who'd been gazing solemnly out the window at passing buildings, glanced down at the detective.

"No… not really…" he said, returning his gaze to the street. He knew Conan-kun had likely been asking about murder in general (or attempted murder in this case), but this one had affected Kaito differently than the others he'd witnessed had, so it wasn't a complete lie. It was as if, without the defense-system of his Kaitou Kid persona to shield him, the shock of the situation had struck him deeper than usual.

Thinking about how desensitized the actual children in the car must have become after witnessing and investigating so many _successful_ murders, was almost enough to make him nauseous on their behalf.

At the hospital, they joined the husband at a small waiting area- a few benches in the hallway- outside the operating room. The Professor asked him what had happened leading up to the fight, and the man recounted how their search for their phones had spiraled into a serious argument. Apparently, after finding his, his wife took it and used it to call her own, (which explained the ringing of the phone under the bench). However, they began arguing over a strange woman's number in the man's phone, at which point his wife had grabbed a knife and attacked. In the struggle, it had gotten turned around and lodged in her chest.

The story didn't sit right with Kaito, and, if the familiar perplexed expression on the detective's face was anything to go by, it seemed he felt the same way.

It didn't take more than five minutes for the case to be solved, which must've been some kind of record. All the evidence they needed was found on the wife's cellphone, which Ayumi-chan had forgotten to hand over.

Kaito sighed and leaned his head back against the wall, gazing first at the ceiling, and then casting an apologetic look to the distraught man sitting further up the hall from where they'd gathered. He was wringing his hands. Fear and grief seemed to hang think in the air around him. He didn't even know his crimes had been discovered yet.

As much as Kaito was sickened by the horrific act of an attempted murder, it was hard to not feel sorry for the man, especially seeing how fraught with regret he was. He only hoped that when Tantei-kun inevitably revealed the man's crimes in front of everyone, he'd at least do so with tact.

After a long, tense wait, the doctor stepped out and informed them that they were able to save her. Pure relief overtook the husband, compelling him to grasp the doctor's hands as he thanked him.

"I had to tell the police about the unfortunate accident," the doctor said. "Please explain what happened to the policeman they're sending over. Even though it was an accident, it was a serious wound."

"Yes… I understand…" the man said.

-  
Kaito pretended not to notice when the man slipped away from the group, and he pretended not to notice when Conan-kun and Haibara-san snuck away to follow him. He waited until they were far enough ahead, and then he followed after them as well.

At the bottom of the stairs, tucked away in a dark pocket in the wall, Kaito waited, and listened, to the confrontation happening above.

"Running away?" Conan-kun's calm, conversational tone carried through the open door and down the echoey stairs to where Kaito was lingering at the bottom. There was no response. The detective's voice came again, firmer that time. "I'm asking if you plan to run off to the afterlife, leaving your wife in that state."

A forced laugh. "What are you talking about? I just came up here to get some fresh air and breath a sigh of relief since I found out my wife was safe. Come on, don't be silly, go back to the others."

"After chasing us away by saying that, you're going to jump, aren't you?" Haibara-san's cool, indifferent voice followed. "Since if your wife recovers and is questioned by the police, they'll find out that you were planning to kill her from the start." Kaito couldn't see the reaction, but she must've struck a nerve.

"That expression proves it," Tantei-kun said, every last trace of his young persona gone. "You had the same expression when the doctor mentioned your wife undergoing police questioning earlier."

And so, the deduction show began, privately, between the detective and the perpetrator (plus one friend of the detective and one eavesdropper), away from the others, away from the police. It was indeed the most tactful way Kaito could think of to handle such a situation. Perhaps Conan-kun was going to try to convince him to turn himself in.

"Anyway…" the detective finished with a gentle sigh, "I'll make something up for the police today." Kaito's gaze snapped up from the linoleum floor. A silent gasp halted his breath. Had he heard that right?? "-So when your wife recovers, apologize from the bottom of your heart and discuss with her what you intend to do from now on."

 _He's… going to make something up…??_ Kaito thought. _He's going to… let him go…?_

His surprise was mingled with a mess of other emotions. Relief, hope, excitement.

It was practically unthinkable for detectives to let people go! Sure, Tantei-kun had let him go a few times before, but that was always as thanks for something. To think that he'd be willing to let an attempted murderer go… (of course, only after seeing that the man felt remorse)

There was no room left for doubt. Tantei-kun- Kudou Shin'ichi, was not one of those detective that clung too tightly to the laws. Which meant… he could almost certainly be trusted.


	3. Lovers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a rewrite of the end of the Jet-Black Mystery Train case (episode 704).
> 
> <3

704  
-Conan-  
The frantic passengers ran out of car eight, rushing toward the front of the train, but just as the old woman and her maid were about to follow, Conan cut them off.

"Wait!" He stepped in front of them, trapping them alone in the smoking train car with him. Without bothering to address the old woman, or even the pair as a whole, he dashed around the side of the wheel chair to the tall, stern maid. "I know you're Kaitou Kid," he said, getting straight to the matter at hand, "and… I need your help."

The maid's eyes widened and flickered to the side, briefly contemplating various options. Then, with a soft, resigned sigh, the thief knelt down and spoke in his normal voice.

"Help with what?" He asked.

Conan swallowed the lump of anxiety building in his throat. He could feel his heart racing from the uncertainty. Would Kid really be willing to help with something so dangerous? Was it possible that the person in front of him was really the same person he texted every single day??

"I… I'm sorry to ask this of you so suddenly," Conan stammered, avoiding eye contact, clammy fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. He wasn't normally a fidgeter, but his nerves in that situation were astronomical. "It's dangerous, but I _know_ you're capable. You're the only one who can do it, and there are lives at risk, so _please_ -."

Conan abruptly stopped rambling at the gentle feeling of Kid's hand grabbing his own, much smaller one. His breath caught in his chest and his eyes snapped up to meet the thief's. The soft, understanding expression was slightly nullified by the mask of the maid's face, but it conveyed its message all the same. Briefly Conan wished the mask was gone so he could finally see whether the face beneath it truly was the one he loved, as if the hand reassuringly squeezing his own wasn't proof enough.

"Tantei-kun," Kid said, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper, "Of course, I'll help. Just tell me what to do."

Conan blinked in surprise, then breathed a sigh of relief, feeling his whole body relax as he returned the comforting squeeze on the hand in his. "I need you to disguise as this woman," he said, reluctantly taking his hand back to grab his phone and show Kid the picture.

He explained the plan and handed over everything the thief would need. Then they went in separate directions.

-Kaito-  
It was pretty obvious to Kaito that the woman Tantei-kun had him disguise as was the true from of that very mature, little friend of his. Which meant the dangerous people on that train were no ordinary criminals. They were professionals, and they were directly connected to Tantei-kun's shrinkage.

Kaito had never given it much thought aside from wondering how the _hell_ a whole teenager could possibly be condensed into that tiny body, but seeing the face of one of the 'bad guys' made him wonder, what exactly was the detective up against?? What else had they done? And, if at all possible, how could he help?

He held the phone to his ear, taking a deep breath of the cool, refreshing air that buffeted his face as he soared over the river. It rang once and was abruptly cut off by an- "Are you okay??"

"Of course, I'm okay," Kaito replied with a smile. If the concern in Tantei-kun's voice was anything to go by, it was a pretty safe bet that the detective 1) knew his identity, and 2) still had feelings for him regardless.

There was an audible sigh of relief from the detective's end, followed by a soft, "I'm glad."

Kaito's heart fluttered and he resolutely decided to steer the conversation out of sappy territory. "Tantei-kun…" he spoke slowly, unsure exactly what he wanted to say. Part of him wanted to ask the detective more about the dangerous people on the train. Part of him wanted to ask to meet up with him in person and finally address their feelings openly. Instead, he ended up settling on, "If you ever need my help again, all you have to do is ask."

"Right… okay… thank you."

"Yeah… it was no problem…"

They lingered in silence for a moment, so much to say, but unsure if it was right to do so.

"Um, you can just return that phone to the detective agency tomorrow," Conan said.

"Uh, yeah, okay… bye."

"Bye."

-Conan-  
Conan sighed as he lowered his phone from his ear to his chest, simultaneously relieved that the awkward call was over, and regretful that he hadn't said more.

The thief's words echoed in his head. If you ever need my help again, all you have to do is ask. He remembered what Haibara had said about Kaitou Kid potentially being a strong ally. It seemed she had been very right about that. Although… Conan hated the idea of putting someone he loved in danger. It was the whole reason he'd created a secret identity for himself in the first place, but, he had to admit, if there was one person in the world who could handle his crazy life, it was definitely Kaitou Kid.

-Kaito-  
Kaito brought his hang glider down and landed on a flat patch of shore along the river. He then pulled together a mostly normal, unassuming outfit from the various parts of his other disguises, even going so far as to put his black, baseball cap on for good measure. Then he began making his way to the station to meet up with Jii-chan.

It was a long walk, and the whole way all he could think about was the detective. When would they see each other again? Would it be as Kid, or as himself? Would they get a chance to talk alone, privately? What would they say??

Up ahead, the train station came into view. A woman with a pink blouse and a black, wide-brimmed hat was just leaving the station. At first Kaito paid no attention to her as she turned down the same stretch of sidewalk he was on, but as they got closer, he noticed her tilt her head slightly. She was looking at him. He glanced up. They made eye contact. He mostly expected her to simply look away, but instead, she smiled at him.

"Sorry!" She said, "You just look so much like my son."

"Your son?" Kaito asked, coming to a stop. Now that they were closer, he could see a single curl of brunette hair over her forehead, the rest was pinned up under the hat. "You wouldn't happen to be talking about Kudou-kun…?"

"That's right!!" The woman exclaimed, clasping her hands together and smiling brightly. "You know him?"

"I've met him once, yeah. I don't know if you remember me, but we've met once before as well. I'm Kuroba Kaito."

Kudou Yukiko's eyes widened and she drew in an audible, open-mouthed gasp. "You're really Kaito-chan??" She asked, growing more excited by the second. "You've grown into such a handsome young man! And I'm not just saying that because you look like my Shin-chan. Oh!! I haven't spoken to Chikage in far too long! How's she doing by the way?"

"She's fine," Kaito shrugged, "Still in Las Vegas."

Kudou-san hummed and nodded. Then a thought seemed to occur to her. She leaned a bit closer and lowered her voice even though there was no one else on the sidewalk around them. "You're here right now because of the whole, 'Kaitou Kid' thing, aren't you? I'm sorry we got you involved, but I'm glad you're okay."

Kaito blinked, eyes widening as her words sank in. "Wha… You _know_ about that?"

She nodded. "Don't worry. Yuusaka and I have known for a long time. When Shin-chan was telling me about the plan to get your help today, I was initially against the idea of putting my teacher's son in danger, but, it was strange…" Her thin eyebrows curved into a thoughtful expression. "Shin-chan seemed even more worried about you than I was…"

The magician felt his heart beat just a tiny bit faster. _He… was worried about me…_

"Thank you, by the way," Kudou-san continued with a warm smile, "I know it must've been an inconvenience, but you really saved us."

"Oh, uh, you're welcome," Kaito shrugged.

-Conan-  
Conan stood with the rest of their group just outside the train station, waiting for a taxi. It would be awhile. The other passengers that had been on the mystery train were also trying to get rides back home now that their trip had been cut short.

The three teenagers were standing in their own little cluster a short distance from the kids and adults. Conan wasn't paying much attention to them, until he happened over hear Sera-san interrupt whatever Sonoko was talking about with a soft, "Hey… doesn't that guy look an awful lot like Kudou-kun?"

The detective's head snapped up immediately following her gaze down a mostly empty stretch of sidewalk to were two people were talking. He recognized the woman's outfit immediately. His mother. And the guy she was talking to…

"That _is_ Kudou-kun! He must've heard what happened and come to make sure you're okay!" Sonoko exclaimed, giving Ran a teasing nudge with her elbow. "Look! Here he comes!"

The two had finished their conversation and were continuing on their separate ways. It _was_ Kuroba, still wearing the shirt from the Miyano Shiho disguise. He had already noticed the girls looking at him and resigned himself to the inevitable conversation. As he got closer, Ran recognized him as well.

"Oh! Kuroba-kun," She smiled, "What are you doing here?"

"Kuroba?" Sonoko and Sera-san echoed in unison.

"I'm meeting up with an old family friend," The magician replied. _Probably his accomplice…_ Conan thought. "What are you guys doing here? And…" his eyes flickered over to the police cars lined up along the road, "did something happen?"

"Yes," Ran sighed, "our train got redirected here due to a bombing. Oh, these are my friends, Suzuki Sonoko and Masumi Sera, by the way."

"Are you related to Kudou-kun?" Sonoko inquired, before Kuroba could properly introduce himself.

"And is there a reason you're wearing a woman's shirt?" Sera-san asked.

"First, I look good in this shirt, and second, no, I'm not related to Kudou-kun." Softly he added: "that would be awkward…"

Ran suppressed a knowing smile. "Have you two been… talking?" She asked, tilting her head forward ever-so-slightly to convey hidden meaning without revealing anything in front of the unknowing listeners.

Kuroba's expression brightened and he quickly tried to play it off as if he'd simply remembered a particularly interesting conversation. "Yeah, yeah, we've been talking," he said. "We've been talking a lot. I think it's… going well."

"That's great! I really hope you two can be…" Ran's eyes flickered over to Sonoko, "good friends."

Conan felt warmth bloom over his cheeks. Things were indeed going well. Better than ever, in fact. He could feel the electric buzz of anticipation in the air between the magician and himself. A mutual understanding that the next time they spoke, whenever that would be, they would come clean with each other.

"Is that detective so hopeless you have to set him up with friends?" Sonoko was asking Ran. Kuroba had departed from their group.

"Uh… something like that," Ran said.

"Hey." A gentle voice directly behind him made Conan flinch and whirl around, finding himself looking directly into the beautiful, indigo-purple eyes of the person he loved. "Here," The magician held out the phone Conan had leant him earlier.

"Oh, right, thanks," the detective said, taking it. Kuroba smiled and stood up.

"Well, see ya later," and with that, he turned and left.

Conan didn't know what to say. Of course he'd hoped for a little bit more than that, but… it's not like they could've said much right there in the middle of the crowd… He clutched the phone tightly in his hand, watching the magician walk away and disappear into the station. A few seconds passed. Conan sighed and turned back around, about to tuck the phone away into his pocket, when it suddenly buzzed. He glanced at the screen.

Kuroba: "Think you can get away from your guardian tonight?"

-

Conan pushed the heavy door open and walked out onto the rooftop of the hotel under the starry night sky. At first there didn't seem to be any sign of another person up there, until a strange sound faint sound cut through the far-away noise of the city below. Seconds later, the deep boom of a single firework echoed overhead.

Fond memories and an endearing exasperation formed a smile on Conan's lips as he watched the silvery sparkles rain down and fizzle out.

"Too cheesy?" A voice asked from above the door the detective had just walked through.

"It's pretty much exactly what I was expecting," He replied, without bothering to turn around.

Kuroba jumped down behind him and strolled forward to his side. "If I'd had more time I would've planned something much bigger, but… this will have to do."

"It's perfect," Conan said, looking up at the magician. He'd half expected him to be dressed in full Kaitou Kid uniform, but instead, he was completely casual: jeans, t-shirt, and a zip-up hoodie. Absolutely perfect.

The two turned to face each other. Kuroba knelt down and took the detectives small hands in his own.

"Kudou-kun…" he said, voice as soft as the cool, night air itself. "I love you."

"I love you too," Conan breathed, the words rushing from his mouth like a breath he'd been holding for far too long.

Butterflies tickled the insides of their stomachs. Thrilled smiles made their cheeks ache as they squeezed each other's hands and waited for their hearts to stop racing.

Kuroba was the first to break the silence.

"Is it… really okay with you? That I'm…"

Conan nodded. "Of course," he said, shrugging his small shoulders. "I obviously don't expect you to just tell me everything right away, but I'm sure you have your reasons." The magician breathed a sight of relief, shoulders visibly relaxing.

"What about you?" The detective continued, "Are you okay with… the fact that I'm like this?" He asked, looking down at himself.

"It doesn't bother me," Kuroba shrugged. "You're the same Kudou Shin'ichi, even if you're small. So… do I have to wait until you're back to normal to kiss you?"

Conan blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the magician's forwardness, but it wasn't as if he'd never thought about the idea before. As soon as it had started to become obvious that they liked each other, he'd been considering the various aspects of being in a relationship while also being stuck in an unideal body, and he'd come up with some boundaries.

"I would like to wait, yes," he said.

"I understand," Kuroba nodded.

"But… hugging is fine, and… cuddling is fine."

An excited smile spread across the magician's face. Conan barely had time to lift his arms up over his boyfriend's shoulders before Kaito enveloped him in a nearly crushing hug. Every muscle in his body relaxed as the warmth of the hug began to filled every fiber of his being. He hummed in contentment and rested his cheek against his boyfriend's shoulder.

They stayed like that for a long time, letting all of their stress and worries gently ease away, replaced by pure, absolute comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, did you think this was the last chapter??
> 
> I wouldn’t deprive you of a proper first kiss scene, like I’ve done in most of my other stories.


	4. Kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rewrite of episodes 927 & 928 (The Scarlet School Trip episodes), plus the very end of episode 942.
> 
> It’s a little bit messy, but I hope you enjoy~.

-Shin'ichi-  
"So… if you were going to come here anyway, why not just come with our class?" Ran asked, leaning back against the railing overlooking the view, while Sonoko snapped a picture of the two of them on her phone.

"If I came with the class I'd have to wear the school uniform, stay with the group, and share a room with the other guys," Shin'ichi shrugged, "this way I'm just another tourist, but I can still hang out with you guys. Also, I… might have… asked Kaito if he wanted to come here and hang out…"

"You asked him to come all the way to Kyoto for a date??" Ran asked incredulously.

"I wouldn't really call it a date…" Shin'ichi said, averting his gaze as heat began creeping up his neck.

"I wouldn't call it a proper date either." Ran sighed, "Seriously, how long have you been together now?? And you haven't seen each other once since Aoko-chan and I introduced you."

That obviously wasn't quite true. In the time that had passed since they confessed, Shin'ichi had spent several nights at Kaito's house (as Conan, of course), staying up late, having long conversations about their situations. Those nights were far better than any 'dates' as far as Shin'ichi was concerned, but… they still hadn't kissed. At least, not _really_. Kaito kissed his forehead and his hands every single chance he got, but they both wanted more.

Ran went to see how the picture turned out, and Sera-san quickly took her place.

"Hey, are you _really_ Kudou Shin'ichi?" She asked, grabbing his face between his hands.

"Uh… yeah," he said. She narrowed her eyes for a second, then let him go.

While continuing to wait around, the girls happened to bump into the famous actress Keiko Kurachi, and after getting a group picture with her, Keiko-san held Shin'ichi back to talk to him.

"Are you that high school detective, Kudou Shin'ichi?" She asked, bright eyes observing him from under the shadow of her brown, tulip hat, which her blond hair was pinned up underneath. "Yukiko-chan's son?"

"That's me," He nodded.

"Are you here on a school trip?" She asked.

"Um, kind of, we're all staying at the Kyoto Hotel-."

"Really? So are we!" The actress exclaimed.

"'We'? Are you staying with someone?" Shin'ichi inquired.

"Yes, some college classmates and I came to pay our respects to an old friend," She said, her smile taking on a faintly somber aura, which vanished again as she continued. "Well, I say classmates, but we're all famous as well. If it's not too much trouble, could you come by my hotel room tonight?" She took a notepad and pen from her purse to write down her room number. "I have something to show you."

"Show me? What is it?"

"A cipher!" She said in an excitedly hushed whisper. "Detectives love those, right?"

A short distance away, Ran suddenly called out above the crowd. "Oh, Kuroba-kun! Over here!"

Shin'ichi's heart beat jumped. His eyes swept over the crowd in the direction Ran was waving and spotted the familiar face.

"A friend of yours?" Keiko-san asked, looking over as well.

"Ah, yeah-."

"Well, I won't hold you up any more. Meet me at around nine, okay? And you can bring your friends if you want," She said, handing over the paper with her room number.

"Sure, okay," Shin'ichi nodded.

"See you then." She smiled, and stepped passed him to go on her way.

"See you then," he said, 

The detective took off at a sprint, excited to hug his boyfriend in his true body for the first time. Two strides in, however, his brain reminded him that they were in a very public place, and guys didn't normally run to greet each other, and… they also didn't usually hold each other in a tight embrace or even so much as stand shoulder to shoulder… He abruptly slowed and walked the last few steps to the group at a stiffly casual stroll.

"Hey," he said, allowing all the warmth he couldn't express physically to imbue his voice, his eyes, and his smile.

Kaito beamed, and his arm moved slightly from its place at his side, as if to reach out and take Shin'ichi's hand, until he stopped himself and simply replied with an equally warm, "Hey."

Ran was less than impressed. Sonoko and Sera-san were glancing back and forth between the pair with varying amounts of curiosity and skepticism.

"Well, we'll go on ahead to the next attraction, if you two 'random tourists' wanna catch up in a bit," Ran said, guiding the other two girls over to the other half of their school group.

"Why don't we all just go together if they're going to come anyway?" Sera-san asked.

"Oh, don't worry about them," Ran insisted.

Shin'ichi cleared his throat and rocked back on his heels, glancing around at nothing in particular to avoid eye contact as he and Kaito waited for the girls to be far enough away.

Finally, they could talk.

"It's so good to see you again," Kaito said, tilting his head to admire the true face of his boyfriend.

"It's nice to be back," Shin'ichi smiled at him, "even if it is only temporary."

"I want to hug you," Kaito said, looking around for a place just out of sight enough that not too many people would stare.

The detective's shoulders tensed, briefly startled by his boyfriend's forwardness. He'd been growing accustomed to it since they started dating, it was even endearing at times, but occasionally, when he wasn't expecting it, the magician's words still flustered him. Of course, Shin'ichi had _also_ been working on vocalizing his own feelings more.

"It's mutual," he said, maintaining a nonchalant outward appearance aside from the soft pink tint overtaking his cheeks.

Kaito took Shin'ichi's arm, nodding in the direction of a mostly empty area closer to the parking lot. It wasn't exactly 'out of sight', but it was leagues better than 'right in the middle of the crowd'. At the very least, it was the kind of place people usually just ignored strangers, and the few people that would see them were unlikely to make a big deal out of just one hug.

So they slipped out of the crowd and made their way over to the spot, glancing around for the blue uniforms of a few lingering Teitan students. At the mostly empty area, they stopped and faced each other, pausing for a millisecond, as if to reassure themselves that this was happening, and _finally_ , embraced.

The hug tightened as they breathed content, comfortable sighs.

"You fit so perfectly in my arms," Kaito murmured, squeezing tighter still.

"It feels so nice." Shin'ichi hummed in pure bliss, finally able to reach all the way around his boyfriend's back and hold him close.

Reluctantly, they pulled back, lingering for a moment in each other's personal space, their faces just a bit too close. The urge to lean forward and close the gap tugged at their hearts, but they could feel the eyes on them. They each took a step back.

"Ready to go catch up with them?" Kaito asked.

"Yeah, let's go."

Despite Sonoko and Sera-san's initial confusion about why Shin'ichi had brought some random friend along, they were quick to just accept it. It definitely helped that Kaito was basically a master at getting people to like him.

Sonoko made a couple unsubtle remarks about relationships, and Sera-san asked a few more invasive questions, but overall, the day was surprisingly normal, which is exactly what Shin'ichi wanted. A break. Some time back in his normal life. Just a teenager on a school trip with his friends (and boyfriend).

That evening, the five of them went to see Keiko-san. The actress introduced them to the other celebrities she was with, all of whom were working together on a new movie. Taro Nishiki, the screenwriter, showed Shin'ichi the cipher that had been left by their dead friend. Kaito and Sera-san observed over his shoulders while the adults talked.

-Ran-  
Ran smiled, standing with Sonoko in the hallway while the three inquisitive teens stood huddled together over the cypher. Kuroba's hand was on Shin'ichi's back, between his shoulder blades. To the casual observers (that is to say, the adults), it would've just looked like a simple gesture between close friends. Ran knew better.

Those two had been taking every possible opportunity to bump, nudge, poke, and rest their hands on each other all day long. Honestly, it was adorable.

"Those two are pretty close…" Sonoko murmured, eyes narrowed as she watched them. "Almost _too_ close."

"They're good friends," Ran shrugged, already sensing where her friend was going with this.

"Are they?" Sonoko moved closer and cupped her hand over her mouth to whisper, "What if Kuroba-kun is trying to move in on your man??"

Ran rolled her eyes.

Sonoko's skeptical gaze turned to her. "What is it with you? You've been completely immune to my teasing lately and now it's like you don't even care that Kudou-kun's about to get snatched up by someone else."

Just then, the other three stepped out of Nishiki-san's room, thanking the adults for showing them the cypher and promising to solve it. The two girls abruptly dropped the conversation.

-Shin'ichi-  
Their group found a place to sit down. They talked and contemplated the cypher for about an hour.

It was late. Shin'ichi knew the antidote would soon be wearing off, but just as he was trying to think of an excuse to leave with Kaito, his phone chimed, signaling a message from Keiko-san.

Nishiki-san had been murdered.

The detectives looked at the scene and asked a few questions, but inevitably, the antidote did, in fact, begin wearing off, so he and Kaito departed from the group early, leaving Sera-san in charge until the inspector could arrive.

Inside their room, the moment Shin'ichi collapsed onto the bed, he could feel his body begin shrinking.

"Are you okay?" Kaito asked, sitting on the bed beside him.

"Yeah," he sighed, pushing himself up. "Sorry we didn't get a chance to-."

"It's okay," Kaito shrugged, lifting a hand to give Conan's hair an affectionate ruffle. "There's still tomorrow."

-Ran-  
"So? Do you still like Kudou-kun, or not?" Sonoko asked once the three girls were alone in their hotel room.

"Huh? You don't like Kudou-kun anymore?" Sera-chan asked, sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"Not romantically, no," Ran replied, kneeling to rummage through her bag for her toothbrush.

"Why?? What happened?!" Sonoko cried, "You two have been the most perfect, adorable couple ever since you were little!!"

"Those were just silly, childish feelings. Neither of us really understood love."

Sera-chan hummed. "I guess that makes se-."

"I can't believe this! I've been so invested in your relationship! I feel like _I_ just got my heart broken!" Sonoko interrupted. The dramatic girl collapsed onto the bed, and abruptly pushed herself back up. "Wait, does this mean, Kuroba-kun actually had a chance??"

"Does Kudou-kun even like guys?" Sera-chan asked.

Ran shrugged. "Maybe."

-Shin'ichi-  
In the morning, Conan woke up and groaned while sluggishly rolled off of Kaito's chest. He sat up, checked the time, then grabbed the small container with the antidote off the bedside table and swallowed the pill.

Behind him the bed shifted as Kaito stretched. The magician sat up and yawned, then turned and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist from behind. Shin'ichi gasped softly at the feeling of a small kiss on the back of his neck.

"Kaito…" He chided, a warm blush spreading over his cheeks.

"I love you," The magician murmured in his defense, nuzzling his head against the detective's shoulder.

Shin'ichi sighed. "I love you too."

His phone rang, disrupting the cozy atmosphere. He grabbed it off the table and opened the message.

"It's Keiko-san," He said, breaking out of Kaito's hug and heading for the door, "Something's happening-."

"Ah! Wait!" Kaito threw the covers off his legs and scrambled out of the bed to catch the detective.

Shin'ichi paused and turned around. His boyfriend grabbed his waist, pulled him close. His eyes widened as it dawned on him what was happening, and the next second warm, supple lips were pressed against his own. Caught off guard, the detective was momentarily frozen in shock, but quickly relaxed into the slow, gentle kiss.

Kaito moved a hand up to hold Shin'ichi's head, combing his fingers through the soft hair. They began to figure out a rhythm, lips slotting together, kiss deepening. The detective rested a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder, running his thumb over the line of the magician's collarbone.

Gradually, they slowed and broke apart, but remained close, catching their breath.

"I love you," both whispered over each other, promptly laughing with their foreheads pressed together.

-The Third Day-  
After the culprit had been caught and the full story behind the case had been revealed, they met up to head out on one last sight seeing trip before the end of the day. Ran suggested a spot, and they began walking away, but just as Shin'ichi and Kaito were about to follow, a sharp pang struck his chest, signaling the end of his time in his normal body. He instinctively grabbed his boyfriend's arm for support as he hunched over in pain. Kaito immediately understood and began looking around for an exit route.

Ran glanced back over her shoulder, noticing something was wrong. "Shin'ichi? Are you okay?" The others looked back as well.

"I'm fine, just- go on ahead without us," he said, giving a dismissive wave of his hand.

Kaito began leading him away through the crowd.

 _This is it… after this there's no telling when I'll get to be myself again… This could be the last chance for quite some time…_ Shin'ichi glanced at his boyfriend's face out of the corner of his eye.

"Kaito," he said, turning to face the magician in the middle of the crowd.

"Huh? What is it?" The magician asked.

Shin'ichi drew in a deep breath, gazing intently into Kaito's eyes in the hopes of conveying as much of his thoughts as possible without words. "One more," he said.

Kaito blinked in surprise, and glanced around at the crowd. "H-here?"

"Here."

Obviously, the magician wasn't about to argue. They shared one brief kiss.

"Aaahhhh!! RAN!!!" A shriek carried over the crowd of stunned people.

" _Sonoko!_ " Came the hissed reply.

"I- uh- should get going," Shin'ichi said, feeling the eyes of several strangers on him. Without another word, he ran off to find a safe place to shrink.

-A Few Days Later-  
"How come you never tell us anything?!" Kudou Yukiko whined, kneeling to face her son directly in the living room of Professor Agasa's home. "Every time we learn something important about your life it's through someone else!!"

"What? I told you I was going to Kyoto-," Conan said.

"I'm talking about your boyfriend!!" His mom pouted.

"Wha-! H-how did you find out about that?!"

"The girl who runs that Kudou Family Blog told us she saw you kissing some boy at the Kiyomizu Butai!" She said. Behind her his dad nodded. "Who is it?? How did you meet?? You _have_ to introduce us to our future son-in-law!!"

"Does he know about your situation?" His dad asked.

Conan rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. A warm blush washed over his face. Kaito had told him about the fact that his parents already knew his identity, so… "It's… Kuroba Kaito," he mumbled, his blush deepening.

His parents drew in a simultaneous gasp.

"I have to call Chikage!!" His mom exclaimed, running to find her phone. His dad simply chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, and a special Thank You to everyone who commented!
> 
> This is technically the end of this story, but I’m posting an additional, optional part that you can look into if you’re curious.


End file.
